Garments with interlinings



Dec. 18, 1956 A. LEHMANN 2,774,074

GARMENTS WITH INTERLININGS Filed March 22, 1954 United States PatentO GARMENTS WITH INTERLmINGS Alfred Lehmann, Unterflockenbach im Odenwald, Germany Application March 22, 1954, Serial No. 417,781

9 Claims. (Cl. 297) This invention relates to garments with shaping and shape retaining interlinings.

In order to give garments such as mens jackets, ladies jackets, coats and the like a correctly shaped, stylish appearance, it is known to insert, between the outer material and the lining, fabric interlinings which generally consist of horsehair or other animal hair. Linen fabric and jute fabric have also been used for cheap articles of clothing. Interlinings of this type will be referred to hereinafter as complete interlinings. In order to give the garment the desired shape, such as curvature over the chest, a smaller piece, preferably also of fabric-and known as a pad is applied to the complete interlining at the positions to be provided with curves. The complete fabric interlining and the pad are joined by sewing them together at the edges and by making a plurality of parallel lines of stitching, partly in pikier stitch, partly in featherstitch. The desired curves are produced by making more or less acute-angled incisions or excisions in suitable positions, the edges formed being brought together and joined by stitching. The desired curves are produced by means of these so-called darts, and are brought out by means of What are called shaping irons; but these curves are not stable. If a double-layer formation, for example, consisting of a complete fabric interlining and a fabric pad, is given the desired curvature by making darts, and the whole thing is then placed on a table, the curve collapses for lack of inherent stability.

It is understandable that curved interlinings of the type hitherto used and described above, consisting of a complete fabric interlining and a pad, can only fulfill their purpose of giving and retaining shape, to an imperfect extent. This is particularly the case if both the complete interlining and also the pad consists of fabrics which, as a result of their weave (warp and weft), are not resiliently elastic in all directions and can yield when pulled obliquely or laterally.

The disadvantages of these known and usual interlinings composed of fabric interlinings and pads for articles of clothing are overcome according to the invention by applying to the more or less resiliently elastic complete fabric interlining, a pad or pads, which consist of a thin, non-woven, porous, air-permeable, flexible, isotropic sheet material of the type described and claimed in U. S. Patent No. 2,719,802 of October 4, 1952.

A non-woven sheet material suitable for the purpose of the present invention consists in its entirety of an open skeleton of an intermingled, fine, cardable, polyposed, moisture absorptive fibers and resulting adhesive means interconnecting said fibers at their points of intersection to form the fibrous sheet material with preservation of numerous, relatively large interstices between the fibers, said interstices communicating with each other to provide circuitous paths for the circulation of air transversely through the sheet material, portions of said fibers intermediate of said points of intersection being exposed for the absorption of perspiration. Preferably the interstices between the fibers assume the form of comparatively ire large, preferably flat pores which extend substantially in planes parallel to the main plane of the fibrous sheet. The large pores, present in the various layers are preferably staggered in relation to one another.

For the production of such non-Woven sheet materials, fleeces of thin cardable fibres are used, the thickness of which may amount to about 1 to 20 deniers, and which contain the fibres in substantially intersecting or random directions. The fibrous material may consist of resilient fibres such as animal hairs, e. g. wool or human hairs, or resilient synthetic fibres such as acetate fibres, protein fibres or the like. Superpolyamide fibres such as those known as perlon fibres or nylon fibres have proved particularly suitable. The fleeces may also consist of mixtures of different types of resilient fibres or of mixtures of resilient fibres and fibres Which are non-resilient or only slightly resilient. But fibre fleeces can also be used which consist of fibres which are only slightly resilient, or contain them in large quantities. In these cases it is advisable to give the fleece material the required properties, particularly as regards resilience and elasticity (resilient elasticity) by the use of special means, particularly impregnants.

For the impregnation of the fibre fleece, film-forming adhesives are used which form resilient binders after setting. Among these, preference is given to vulcanisable adhesives such as synthetic and/or natural rubber. These adhesives may conveniently be introduced into the fibre fleece in an aqueous dispersion or emulsion which may also contain additives such as vulcanizers, vulcanization accelerators, wetting agents, age resistors, fillers and the like. Among other things, various types of synthetic rubber such as butadiene acrylonitrile polymers, butadiene styrene polymers and chloroprene have proved particularly satisfactory. If necessary the rubber can be used in the form of pre-vulcanized rubber latex. In

addition to vulcanizable adhesives, the impregnant may also contain subsidiary quantities of film-forming thermoplastic synthetic materials. A particularly advantageous procedure is first to convert the dispersion or emulsion into a comparatively concentrated, stable foam which is nevertheless still capable of flow, and then to press this foam into the fibre fleece. This impregnation can be carried out in a manner known per se, so that the fleece is first subjected to a single-sided superficial preliminary treatment by applying a small quantity of an adhesive such as rubber latex, as a result of which the fibres in the surface layer are covered with a very thin web-like network. As a result of this preliminary treatment, the very sensitive fleece is stabilised in such a manner that it can be subjected to further treatment, particularly impregnation, without being damaged or torn. The im pregnation of the fleece, which has been superficially pretreated on one side, is carried out in such a manner that the fibre fleece is conveyed through the nip of a pair of rollers, the foam thus being pressedrinto the fleece, some of the foam cells being destroyedin the process and the fleece being converted into the desired sheet. During the subsequent drying of the structure, which is carried out Without pressing, the remaining foam cells are destroyed. As a result of the surface tension properties of the foam mixture, the impregnant is deposited primarily at the contact and intersection points of the fibres, while between the fibres a large number of comparatively large hollow spaces are left which are preferably present as flattish pores in the finished product. By obeying the conditions given above, particularly by pressing the foamy adhesive into the fibrous structure, the surrounding of the individual fibres with a layer of adhesive, which firmly isolates the fibres, as in other known methods of impregnating, is avoided. Instead, the adhesive which is in contact with the fibres, is so porous that-the sheet ma.

terial" produced according to the-invention-has a soft cloth like nature, and the portions of the fibres between the points of adhesion retain their natural absorptive capacity. As 'a'result; the sheet materialis'permeabl'e to perspiration. The vulcanizing' treatment of'theimpreg nated fibrous structure can-be carried out'in' the usual. manner. As a result, the rubber is converted 'into the desired resilient, and at the same time'fl exible, form, and as a result'of the presence of-the resilient binder distributed in the desired mannenthe resilience and elasticity (resilient elasticity) of the sheet material is ensured in a particularly satisfactory manner.

It has been found that sheet materials having particularly valuable properties are obtained if condensation synthetic resins, such as phenolic resins and/or aminoplastics, particularly such polycondensation products as are insoluble in water and insensitiveto organic solvents such as are used for the chemical cleaning of clothes, are incorporated "in the fibrous structures in addition to'the abovementioned flexible, resilient adhesives-such as'vulcanised rubber.

The phenolic resins and/or amino-plastics may be incorporated in the form of pre-condensed' or semi-condensed products, in the emulsions or dispersions containing rubber, and used, together'with these,- preferably in the form of foam, to impregnate the fibre fleece. The impregnation can be set by heat agglomeration, for example by drying under conditions'in which the pre-condensed products are converted into-the'non-water-soluble final product, which is also proof against cleaning agents. The heat treatment may be carried out in such a manner that, in addition to the hardeningofthe pre-condensed product, vulcanization of the vulcanizable constituents of the impregnant also takes 'place; This operation may be carried out for example at temperaturesbetween about 80 and 100' C. Sheet materials which, in addition to vulcanized resilient rubber, also contain phenolic resins or amino-plastics, such as about 4% phenolformaldehyde' resin, in relation to the rubber, are characterised by improved resilient elasticity and greater resistance to wear.

The phenolic resins and/ or amino-plastics may also be introduced as an after-treatment into' the fibrous structure which has already been'impregnated with a dispersion or emulsion containing rubber. In this'mannerit is also possible to incorporate in the sheet material those condensation products which are not compatible with certain constituents of the adhesive containing rubber which is used for the main impregnation. This includes, among other things, certain melamine resins. The aftertreatment may take place with crystalloid dispersed or colloid-dispersed or hetero-dispersed solutions, dispersions or emulsions of the pre-condensed product. The hardening of the pre-condensed product may be encouraged by means of condensation catalysts, e; g. ammonium salts such as ammonium chloride, acids such as tartaric acid or hydrochloric acid, bases such as ammonia, triethanolamine, etc. also be used partly in the first'stage of impregnation, e. g; as a constituent of the dispersion or emulsion containing rubbenand partly in the second stage of'impreg nation. In this case it is possible'touse pre-condensed products of the same type in both stages of treatment or alternatively to use different pre-condensed products. Melamine pre-condensed products, preferably etherified melamine pre-condensed products, have proved particu-' larly suitable. The two-stage impregnation may be carried out in such amanner that the structure impregnatedwith the'dispersion or emulsion containing rubber is slightly dried or is subjected to' the after-treatment with synthetic resin pre-condensed'products after solidifying and if necessary after vulcanization.

In any 'case care should be taken to ensure that the finished products contain the rubberin the vulcanized state and the synthetic resin condensation'product'in the insoluble finish'ed state:

The phenolic resins and amino-plastics may The after-treatment with synthetic resin 'pre-condensed products may also be carried out in such a manner that only one surface layer or" both surface layers of the fibrous structure are impregnated with the synthetic resin pre-condensed solution, e. g. by sprinkling or spreading. Specific surface effects can thus be achieved.

The invention is hereinafter explained, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying; drawings.

Figures 1 and 2 show a plan view of a shaping and shape retaininginterliningfor an article of clothing, 1 being a complete interlining-consisting of fabric, for example horsehair fabric or-linenfabric. A padZ-of a suitable non-woven sheet material is applied to the complete interlining 1.

The interlining as shown in Figure lhas two acuteangled excisions 3, which are made to produce a curved shape. Figure 2 shows the dart 3a produced by bringing together the edgesof the acute-angled excision -3"and' joining them by sewing them together, asa resultof which'theinterlining is given the desired curved 'shape.

Figure 3 shows an interlining ,as shown in Figure 2}. which is placed on a table in which position it has retained unaltered, the curvature resulting from the pa'd' of sheet material. 1

Figure 4 shows an interlining produced from' a com plete fabric interliningland a' fabric-pad 4 in the manner" termediate pad (not illustrated in the drawing) also-'mad'eof non-woven sheetmateriahmaybeadditionally inserted? between the completeinterlining 'l consistingofifalairic and the pad Z'consisting ofnon woven'sheet materiall- In" this embodiment, the intermediatepad-does not'-needto-'- have-any incisions or darts;

The production of the shaping andshape-retaining interlinings, which is done by the tailor or clothing factory making the garment, is considerably simpler than the production of the interlinings hitherto--usualarid composedof a'fabric interlining and a fabric padb Since the shape-retainingstability of the pad madeof non-- woven sheet material is fully'adequa'te and-thesheet' mate rial has a'very strongadhesive capacityas a result of= its structure, the pad made ofnon-'woven 'sheet'material can be joined to the complete fabric-interlining-with a'few stitches. The sewing'with parallel rows 'of-"pikier stitches about 1 cm. apart, which was hitherto neces'sary and which was done for the sake of thestability 'of 'the curva ture, is omitted, because the shape-givingstability-of; the pad of non-woven sheet =materialis sufficient to maintain the curve. With the interlinings hitherto usual and composed of a fabric interlining and'a'fabric pad', the tailor had to bear in mind the-direction of-the threads in the fabric. Consequently he had to avoid-making the: darts obliquely in the fabric, otherwise the tension in'the fabric would bedestroyed; According to the-invention} on the 'other hand, when the pad of non'-'wove'n sheet= material has been applied-to the complete fabri'c; interlining, the darts can be made'as desired. The'shaping} iron, which washitherto necessary; can be-dispensed'with when complete fabric interlinings with pads? of non= woven sheet material are used. The curve produced isl reliably retained by the. structureof the padconsisting ofnon-woven sheet material, whichi'doest'notyield to: oblique and lateral pulling.

Garments which contain padsmade from a combination. of fabric and non-Wovensheetimateriril;as'shaping'1and shape-retaining interlinings offer anumber-of advantages The pads 'of'non-woven sheet material the-thickness of J generally at least 50% lighter than woolen fa' bri'cs of a corresponding thickness. The pads made of non-woven sheet material have a high porosity and excellent permanent permeability to air. The pads of non-woven sheet material are supple and have excellent resilience and elasticity (resilient elasticity); they are easy to sew and can be sewn for example at high speeds of up to 4000 R. P. M.; they are heat resisting, can be ironed and stand up well to chemical cleaning agents. A particular advantage of the pads consisting of non-woven sheet materials is that as a result of their isotropic and isoelastic properties, they are exceptionally resistant to unwanted changes in shape, creasing, wrinkling and the like. When deformed, they always automatically resume the shape given to them. Another advantage of the pad made of non-woven sheet material resides in the fact that, in contrast to fabrics consisting of warp and weft, they cannot be pulled on the cross; they are consequently diagonally stable. Consequently it is possible to incorporate permanently molded shapes into the garments even with very light non-woven sheet material. The pads made of non-woven sheet material have a good breathing capacity in conjunction with excellent permeability to moisture (sweat). As a result of the presence of numerous flat pores lying in various planes and generally staggered in relation to one another, circuitous paths for the circulation of air transversely through the sheet material are provided and satisfactory permeability to air at low air speed is ensured. As a result of the slight shrinkage which does not amount to more than about 0.8%, pads made of non-woven sheet material can be joined easily and reliably to the fabric interlining. If they become wet or are subjected to wet treatments, no harmful deformations take place. Pads which consist of non-woven sheet material and are produced with the addition of phenolic resins and/or amino-plastics, are characterised by particularly good resilient elasticity, a very fine feel and a particularly smooth surface.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with an article of apparel which includes a shape imparting interlning, said interlining consisting of a full interlining and at least one arched plaque secured thereto for imparting said shape, the provision of a plaque comprising: a thin, non-woven, porous, air-permeable, flexible, isotropic sheet material consisting in its entirety of an open skeleton of intermingled, fine, cardable, polyposed moisture absorbent fibers; and resilient adhesive means interconnecting said fibers at their points of intersection to form said fibrous sheet material with preservation of numerous, relatively large interstices between the fibers, said interstices communicating with each other to form circuitous paths for the circulation of air transversely through the sheet material, portions of said fibers intermediate said points of intersection being exposed for the absorption of perspiration.

2. The combination according to claim 1, in which said adhesive means comprises a vulcanized rubber compound.

3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said adhesive means further comprises a phenoplast in completely hardened condition.

4. The combination according to claim 3, in which said phenoplast is confined to a surface portion of said sheet material.

5. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said adhesive means further comprises an aminoplast in completely hardened condition.

6. The combination according to claim 5, in which said aminoplast is confined to a surface portion of said sheet material.

7. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said adhesive means further comprises a small quantity of a melamine aldehyde condensate confined to a surface portion of said sheet material.

8. The combination according to claim 7, wherein said melamine aldehyde condensate is an etherified melamine formaldehyde condensate.

9. The combination according to claim 8, in which the thickness of said fibers is in the range from 1 to 15 deniers and in which the adhesive means constitutes from 25% to of the weight of said fibrous sheet material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

